Gundam Wing - Endless Battle
by Deichan
Summary: 10 years after Endless Waltz, everyone has progressed in their own way. However, a new threat has arrived.. or is it a threat at all?
1. Prelude

pity this busy monster,manunkind,Ê  
  
not.  
  
Ê  
  
The bridge of the flagship Zeoifh glowed with the various holographic diagrams of the small blue planet, flickered as the images changed and altered to display other things. A detailed terrain of the planet flashed for a moment, then thermonuclear readouts, areas of high population highlighted. The images were replaced with diagrams of the large metallic satellites that orbited the planet. The lights of the pictures were reflected on a perfectly sculpted face. Pale eyes glittered faintly, then narrowed, shutting out the light.  
  
"This is the information the scout ship gathered?" the soft voice mused.   
  
On the left of the bridge, a slight and shadowed figure rose deferentially. "Yes, Commander Pasdreti. This is the information that was requested on the Third Planet."   
  
A small, amused smile touched the Commander's lips, and with a wave of the hand the images focused on the cylindrical satellites. "These satellites are hardly the products of a primitive backward planet with a point zero zero one technology rating."   
  
Another wave of the hand and an orbital diagram of the planet came into view, showing areas of obvious technological activity in the large continent in the southern hemisphere and other regions. The planet's natural satellite also had signs of significant technological developments.   
  
"Agreed, Commander," said the figure to the left. "Is such evidence of advancement constituting a threat to the Direut?"   
  
The Commander nodded rather negligently. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. It would be preferred that, rather than elimination of a potential threat, assimilation could be used as the favorable option."   
  
With a slight turning of the head, the dark and regal commander of the flag ship of the First Direut Battle Fleet brought the ship's communications officer to his feet. "Lieutenant, inform the Combine Head General that the fleet will engage in diplomatic action as respite from its typical wanton destruction."   
  
Commander Pasdreti's eyes glittered again with concealed levity as the Lieutenant smiled slightly and bowed, turning back to the communications console. The Commander of the Zeoifh trusted his officers to be discreet despite the words of his orders, a trust built from dependability during thousands of battles and a sort of preservation of self through the preservation of the group. The Head General would receive a more diplomatically worded message. Meanwhile, a messenger ship would be sent down to the planet and engage the sentient species into a sort of temporary alliance.Ê   
  
Pasdreti wondered if the dominant language had changed much since the last time the Direut visited the planet Earth.   
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"You know, Hilde," the young man known as Duo Maxwell said from his place on the spread blanket. He was laying down on his back, looking up to the stars that shone in the night sky. "I really think there might be another intelligence race somewhere, out there."   
  
Hilde Schiebeker, his best friend and house mate of 10 years, nodded from her vantage point on the hood of their car, also peering up into the starry expanse of the heavens. Not knowing that she had responded, Duo craned his head up toward. "What do you think?"  
  
She thought a moment before verbally responding, playing with a strand of cropped hair. Looking down to Duo's upturned, expectant face, Hilde shrugged. "Who knows? The universe is immense. Odds are another higher race cropped up somewhere, don't you think?"  
  
Duo grinned like an imp and winked. "The truth is out there... ooooo!" He laughed as he lunged away from the empty soda can Hilde tossed at his head. The braided man picked up the can from where it came to rest on the patchwork quilt and slowly crushed it in his hand, looking back up at the sky. Something had caught his eye.  
  
Duo squinted at a particular "star", which he though had just moved. "Hey, Hilde..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
He gestured towards to quadrant of sky he was observing. "Did you see that?"  
  
The German girl brushed her unruly bangs from her face where the wind had blown them. "See what, Duo?"  
  
"I dunno..." The wind was picking up a bit, giving a chill cast to the previously mild night.  
  
Hilde blew the bangs away from her face with an exasperated burst of air, glaring down at Duo. "If you don't know what you saw, then how I can I know if I saw it?"  
  
He shrugged less than expressively, leaning against his propped arms. "It looked like that star moved..."  
  
Hilde huffed impatiently. "It was probably a shuttle from one of the colonies, ya big dumb lug! Now you're all caught up thinking it was a UFO, or something."  
  
Eyes aglitter, Duo grinned up to his girl-buddy. "Wow, you really think it was a UFO, Hilde?"   
Ê   
"Baka," he heard her snort. "It's getting cold, Duo, let's head back home."  
  
"Yeah, ok." Duo stood up off the blanket and bent to pick it up, folding the well-worn quilt as he walked around to the back of the car. Hilde slid off the hood and retrieved the crushed can, then made a perimeter check of their picnic area for any other trash. Duo laughed to himself watching her.  
  
'That's my Hilde;Ê always looking after good ole Mother Earth,' he thought. Then his eyes were drawn up to the sky again with a bit of apprehension. 'I don't think that was just a shuttle...'   
ÊÊ   
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Almost half a world away, it was nearly dawn on the Mediterranean. The waves of the sea lapped quietly on the shore near a small villa, comfortable atop a bluff overlooking the water. Well tailored gardens that guarded the villa were washed of color in the silver pre-dawn light and it seemed at the sounds of the world muted in the transition of night into day. The calm and serenity was so complete that Quatre's harsh breaths frightened him terribly.  
  
The young blonde man sat up in his bed in the little villa, his eyes wide and wild. He stared blindly at the wall opposite him, a clutched fist over his erratically beating heart.  
  
'Scared, Allah, I'm scared! What is this, what's going on? What was that I felt, what's going on?? What..' Quatre's thoughts ran in circles as he struggled to gain control of his sleep dulled senses. He felt a light touch on his arm and he flinched in startlement.  
  
"...Quatre?" Trowa's voice was slow from sleep, and soft. "...What's wrong?"  
  
Quatre blinked, looking at his life partner, who was still half-asleep in the bed beside him.Ê  
  
"Nothing, Trowa," he whispered in reply. "A bad dream..."  
  
"...Oh.... Alright..." Trowa sighed, slipping back into sleep. Quatre laid back down and curled himself up against his lover's chest. Warm arms rose automatically to encircle him and he closed his eyes, trying to dispel the lingering tendrils of foreboding that lurked in his mind. 


	2. Tension

pity this busy monster,manunkind,   
  
not   
  
Ê   
  
The blue glow of the television illuminated the austere room, full of straight lines and harsh angles. There was almost nothing of comfort there, no personal items, only simple, utilitarian pieces of furniture. The room's only occupant was watching the morning news.  
  
"This just in," the female reporter said, interrupting her previously cued dialogue to take the sheet of paper handed to her from off-screen. She took a second to look over it, an amused, then shocked expression falling over her carefully made up features. She looked back up to the camera. "Good people of the world, this station has just received word of an alien spacecraft, seen outside New York Harbor near Ellis Island. We are awaiting visual confirmation..."  
  
A mere second later, the screen cut to a live camera, showing a wet and windblown male reporter.  
  
"Thank you, Kirsten. This is New York anchorman Chuck Witter, reporting on behalf of the Earth Sphere News Network. I am on location at Ellis Island where, five minutes ago, the space vehicle to my left came to rest after apparently flying through the morning fog, previously unnoticed until a lone fisherman came in close contact with it."  
  
The camera panned to the left to show an immense ship hovering over the water. It was flat, wide and crescent-shaped, tapering to a soft point to the front. It appeared to be at least 30 meters at it tallest point, the curious looking engine port, and was no discernable color, reflecting both the water and the grey, clouded sky. The screen cut back to the female reporter.  
  
"We have received a message that the Earth Sphere Council is at this moment convening to discuss these latest developments, with Foreign Minister Relena Dorlian presiding," reported anchor Kirsten Schilling. "Among the topics to be discussed are whether or not to approach this vehicle, and if it constitutes as a threat."Ê  
  
She put the paper down on the desk in front of her and looked candidly into the camera. "Citizens of the Earth Sphere, this event is heralded as mankind's first contact with an alien life. You are cautioned to remain calm and under no circumstances approach this vehicle. If you feel compelled to leave New York City and it's surrounding boroughs, please do so in an orderly manner. Be assured that as of this moment, the vehicle has made no hostile actions."  
  
The camera cut again to live footage of the Council meeting. Relena stood up at front, dressed in an immaculate cream colored suit. Her hair was pulled back in a twist, heightening the maturity clearly evident in her face. She was the picture of serenity and quiet strength.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen," Relena began. "We have entered a new era, in which Mankind has made its first contact with a life form from outside our solar system. It is beyond question that we are presented with an enormous opportunity to learn and explore farther than we ever have, but in this instance we are balked by one thing: human nature. Understandably, it is our nature to fear what we do not know and understand, but we have conquered this fear time and time again. I feel this is such a time when we must overcome our nature and rise to the challenge, for how will we as humans better ourselves if we do not take the chance?"  
  
Applause erupted from the entire Council assembly. Relena smiled respectfully and gave a small nod in acknowledgement of the applause. After it continued for a minute, she held up a delicate hand for silence to continue.  
  
"In response to the vehicle's arrival, I propose that a committee be formed with the purpose of making formal, personal contact with whatever life form is contained therein and making all haste to discover its intentions. Discussion, please."  
  
Immediately, a clamor arose from those seated in the tiered seats of the room as various representatives vied for the chance to speak.Ê  
  
The television was turned off, and the room was darkened. The figure stood from his chair, and walked over to the small refrigerator. It was opened, and the well defined Japanese face was clearly illuminated against the dark. He pulled out a can of beer and looked at the blank screen of the TV, leaning against the table.  
  
'Relena...' he thought. 'Am I going to have to protect you again?'  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The bridge of the messenger ship Setpsinr was dim, but a jovial atmosphere permeated throughout. The main monitor displayed many of the Earth news broadcasts, and the crew of the ship was having a wonderful time laughing at the antics of the planet's denizens.  
  
"It's just hilarious!" said the ship's captain Fortren, his mobile face smiling easily. Beside him, the chosen Ambassador of the Direut nodded in agreement.  
  
"Really. It's obvious the humans want to approach the ship," added the ambassador, Theian. His dark, pupil-less eyes glinted with cold humor. "Animal fear is such a primitive thing."Ê  
  
Fortren laughed heartily. "Ah, but how many of the Direut would be dead without it?"  
  
Theian bowed his head in acceptance of the rebuttal, but rose again and smiled warmly, a contrast with his cold, black eyes. "Admittedly, the Direut were a foolhardy race before the assimilation of baser genetic information. Keep that wit about, Fortren. Humans have evolved beyond the animals they were when the Direut first came to this planet."  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Relena beat her gavel against the podium several times for order.  
  
"The chair recognizes L5 Representative Phillip Xiang," she said after the noise died down. The acknowledged man stood and nodded in thanks. His face was a peculiar mixture of his German and Chinese heritage.  
  
"My friends," he said, throwing his arms out expressively. "Such a committee that will welcome a new life to our world must be formed only of those best suited to represent our race to the utmost." Xiang paused as there were several murmurs of "Hear, hear" and other agreements. His arms then swept to Relena in a supplicating gesture. "With that in mind, I move to nominate Foreign Minister Dorlian as Chief Representative of the Human Race."  
  
Anything else he might have said was lost in the uproar that followed, drowned out by shouts of "I second that motion!" and "Bravo!". Relena could barely be heard, smashing the gavel against its cork rest, and she finally resorted to using the microphone before her at full volume.  
  
"This assembly will come to order immediately!" she shouted, trying to gain control over the Council. Very quickly, all noise was diminished. She waited a moment before speaking again. "Representative Xiang, I am flattered by your nomination. It will be put to formal ballot shortly, but we must first discuss the objectives of the committee and its responsibilities and limits before rushing to select the specific individuals of which it will be comprised."  
  
To the far right of the room, a hand was raised, asking for permission to speak.  
  
"The chair recognizes Preventers Representative Une." All eyes turned as the former Lady Une stood, elegant as always in her Preventers uniform.  
  
"Foreign Minister Dorlian, Council members and fellow representatives, I cannot help but agree that the timely arrival of this spacecraft is beneficial," Une opened fluently. She easily took command of the attention of every delegate in the room. "This new challenge could very well be the element that will completely unify all of mankind to a common goal. However, it is the opinion of myself and the entire Preventers organization that haste is very unwise. Instead of rushing to meet whatever may face us, this is an instance where prudence and caution are advised."  
  
Her glasses glinted as she turned her gaze upon every delegate in the room. "We must take into consideration the reaction of the public to this event. Human beings are not by any means perfect. We know from history that there will be thousands who will look upon alien arrival as some sort of divine revelation. Fanatical religious groups could be springing into existence as we speak. I strongly feel that the focus of our efforts should be in informing and reassuring the public, even as we gain and analyze information."  
  
There was a rash of applause that was quickly cut off as Representative Xiang stood again. "Representative Une, while what you are advising has its merits, you do not give us enough credit! People are smart enough to realize what a momentous thing this is; we live in a rational age of thinking. Your descriptions of fanatical religion are highly over-exaggerated!"Ê  
  
"And you give mankind too much credit, Xiang," Une countered, eyes narrowing as she faced the L5 representative. "If we are so rational, then why are the Preventers still in existence today? Why do we still make war on each other, if we are so rational?"  
  
Discussion broke out, but before Relena could quell it, Xiang spoke again, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "This, coming from the woman who was once tried to occupy the colonies under OZ's rule."  
  
Une laughed, short and harsh. "That, coming from the man who was one of the chief propagators of Operation Meteor."  
  
A sharp rap of the gavel interrupted them.  
  
"Enough!" ordered Relena. "Mudslinging will not be condoned in this assembly!"  
  
The two representatives turned and apologized, and the assembly continued on the discussion of the dubbed "Welcoming Committee."  
  
Une glanced at Xiang from time to time, anger burning in her chest. 'He will be one of those people that will have to be watched,' she thought. 'Xiang could very easily sway Relena into make foolish and uninformed decisions without a second thought...'  
  
Sitting back in the shadows of the room, Wufei thought much along the same lines as his superior Une. His forefinger tapped at his bottom lip repeatedly, a nervous habit he picked up from constant contact with women. He noticed it and stopped, clasping his hands on his folded knee, and tried to pay attention to the proceeds of the meeting.  
  
Seated next to the the young Chinese man was the personable Sally Po, who had a slight frown creasing her forehead. She leaned toward the regal Zechs Marquise at her right and said something in a low voice. He nodded and replied.  
  
Wufei heard none of this exchange, however. He was preoccupied with a strange sense that something was amiss with the whole situation. 


End file.
